A touch system comprises a large scale touch surface on which an image is presented and at least two imaging devices looking across the touch surface and having overlapping fields of view. Processing structure communicates with the imaging devices and processes image data acquired by the imaging devices to determine pointer contacts on the touch surface using triangulation. The processing structure further executes at least one application to facilitate user interaction with the touch surface. Methods of interacting with the touch surface are also disclosed.
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1. A method of facilitating user interaction with an image presented on a touch surface of a large scale touch system, said touch surface comprising a plurality of generally rectangular sub-regions arranged in a row extending the longitudinal length of the touch surface with adjacent sub-regions partially overlapping, said method comprising: capturing images of the sub-regions of the touch surface with sets of camera devices, each set of camera devices comprising at least one pair of laterally spaced camera devices having overlapping fields of view oriented to look generally across the respective sub-region of said touch surface; processing the captured images to detect pointer movement within each sub-region and generating pointer coordinate data for each sub-region in which pointer movement is detected; processing pointer coordinate data generated for adjacent sub-regions that are a result of pointer movement within overlapping portions thereof in accordance with weighted averaging logic to yield a single set of pointer coordinate data representing the pointer movement within the overlapping portions; processing the pointer coordinate data to detect a predetermined input gesture made at an arbitrary location on said touch surface; displaying on the touch surface a scaled version of at least a portion of said displayed image at a user accessible location in response to detection of said predetermined input gesture, said user accessible location positioned adjacent to said arbitrary location on said touch surface; processing the pointer coordinate data to detect user interaction with said touch surface within said displayed scaled version of at least a portion of said displayed image; calculating a mapped position on the touch surface based on the position of said user interaction and the position of said displayed scaled version; and mapping said user interaction to said mapped position on the touch surface so that user interactions with the displayed scaled version are translated to interactions with said displayed image.
A large touch screen displays an image and uses multiple cameras to track touch input. The touch surface is composed of overlapping rectangular regions. The system captures images of these regions using laterally spaced cameras. It then detects pointer movements in each region and generates coordinate data. In overlapping regions, the system uses weighted averaging to combine coordinate data from different cameras for a single, more accurate pointer position. When a user performs a specific gesture, a scaled-down version of the displayed image appears near the gesture location. User interactions within this scaled image are then mapped back to the original image, effectively providing a zoom or overview function.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein during displaying, a scaled version of the entire displayed image is presented within a window.
The method described previously, where a large touch screen displays an image and a scaled-down version appears upon a gesture, specifically shows the *entire* original image within a window when the scaled version is displayed.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said window is positioned adjacent a lower portion of said touch surface.
The method described previously, where a large touch screen displays an image and a scaled-down version appears in a window upon a gesture, positions that window containing the scaled version of the full image at the *bottom* of the touch screen.
4. A method of facilitating user interaction with an image presented on a touch surface of a large scale touch system, said touch surface comprising a plurality of generally rectangular sub-regions arranged in a row extending the longitudinal length of the touch surface with adjacent sub-regions partially overlapping, said method comprising: capturing images of the sub-regions of the touch surface with sets of camera devices, each set of camera devices comprising at least one pair of laterally spaced camera devices having overlapping fields of view oriented to look generally across the respective sub-region of said touch surface; processing the captured images to detect pointer movement within each sub-region and generating pointer coordinate data for each sub-region in which pointer movement is detected; processing pointer coordinate data generated for adjacent sub-regions that are a result of pointer movement within overlapping portions thereof in accordance with weighted averaging logic to yield a single set of pointer coordinate data representing the pointer movement within the overlapping portions; receiving a user command designating a text display region for displaying text on the touch surface; displaying a textbox window on said touch surface adjacent a user accessible location in response to an associated input command; processing the pointer coordinate data to detect writing input within said textbox window, the position of said writing input being irrelevant to the position of said text display region; injecting the detected writing input as text in said text display region; and processing the pointer coordinate data to detect a predefined pointer interaction with said touch surface and in response changing the position of at least one of the textbox window and the text display region on the touch surface.
A large touch screen displays an image and uses multiple cameras to track touch input. The touch surface is composed of overlapping rectangular regions. The system captures images using laterally spaced cameras, detects pointer movements, and generates coordinate data. In overlapping regions, weighted averaging combines coordinate data. The system displays a text box window when triggered by a command. Users can write text into the text box using touch input. The system then inserts the text into a designated text display region on the screen, independent of the textbox position. The system also allows the user to move either the textbox or the text display region via predefined touch interactions.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said text display region is initially positioned adjacent an upper portion of said touch surface.
The method described previously, where a user can input text into a textbox for display elsewhere on the screen, initially positions the text display region at the *top* of the touch screen.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said textbox window is initially positioned adjacent a lower portion of said touch surface.
The method described previously, where a user can input text into a textbox with the text displayed elsewhere on the screen, initially positions the textbox window at the *bottom* of the touch screen, while the text display region is at the top.
7. A method of facilitating user interaction with an image presented on a touch surface of a large scale touch system, said touch surface comprising a plurality of generally rectangular sub-regions arranged in a row extending the longitudinal length of the touch surface with adjacent sub-regions partially overlapping, said method comprising: capturing images of the sub-regions of the touch surface with sets of camera devices, each set of camera devices comprising at least one pair of laterally spaced camera devices having overlapping fields of view oriented to look generally across the respective sub-region of said touch surface; processing the captured images to detect pointer movement within each sub-region and generating pointer coordinate data for each sub-region in which pointer movement is detected; processing pointer coordinate data generated for adjacent sub-regions that are a result of pointer movement within overlapping portions thereof in accordance with weighted averaging logic to yield a single set of pointer coordinate data representing the pointer movement within the overlapping portions; processing the pointer coordinate data to detect a predetermined input gesture made at an arbitrary location on said touch surface and in response duplicating a portion of said displayed image on said touch surface at a user accessible location; and mapping pointer coordinate data generated in response to user interaction with said touch surface within said duplicated portion of said displayed image to a corresponding position on said touch surface so that user interactions with the duplicated portion are translated to interactions with the corresponding portion of said displayed image.
A large touch screen displays an image and uses multiple cameras to track touch input. The touch surface is composed of overlapping rectangular regions. The system captures images using laterally spaced cameras, detects pointer movements, and generates coordinate data. In overlapping regions, weighted averaging combines coordinate data. When a user performs a specific gesture, a portion of the displayed image is duplicated to a new location on the screen. User interactions within this duplicated portion are mapped back to the corresponding position on the original image, providing a magnified or shortcut access feature.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said duplicated portion is the upper region of said displayed image.
The method described previously, where a portion of an image is duplicated to another location, specifically duplicates the *top* region of the displayed image.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said upper region of said displayed image is duplicated adjacent the bottom portion of said displayed image.
The method described previously, where the top portion of an image is duplicated, places the duplicated top region at the *bottom* of the touch screen.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein each side portion of said displayed image is duplicated adjacent the opposite side of said touch surface.
The method previously described where the top portion of an image is duplicated at the bottom of the screen, also duplicates each side portion of the displayed image adjacent to the opposite side of the touch surface.
11. A method of facilitating user interaction with an image presented on a touch surface of a large scale touch system, said touch surface comprising a plurality of generally rectangular sub-regions arranged in a row extending the longitudinal length of the touch surface with adjacent sub-regions partially overlapping, said method comprising: capturing images of the sub-regions of the touch surface with sets of camera devices, each set of camera devices comprising at least one pair of laterally spaced camera devices having overlapping fields of view oriented to look generally across the respective sub-region of said touch surface; processing the captured images to detect pointer movement within each sub-region and generating pointer coordinate data for each sub-region in which pointer movement is detected; processing pointer coordinate data generated for adjacent sub-regions that are a result of pointer movement within overlapping portions thereof in accordance with weighted averaging logic to yield a single set of pointer coordinate data representing the pointer movement within the overlapping portions; displaying a mouse object on said touch surface at a user accessible location and remote from a cursor displayed on said touch surface, wherein said mouse object comprises a first area, and wherein pointer interaction within said first area determines the movement of said cursor; processing the pointer coordinate data to detect pointer interactions on said first area of said mouse object; positioning said mouse object on said touch surface based on detected pointer interactions on said first area; positioning the cursor on said touch surface based on detected pointer interactions on said first area; and processing events corresponding to said detected pointer interactions in a manner to avoid input focus being shifted to said mouse object.
A large touch screen displays an image and uses multiple cameras to track touch input. The touch surface is composed of overlapping rectangular regions. The system captures images using laterally spaced cameras, detects pointer movements, and generates coordinate data. In overlapping regions, weighted averaging combines coordinate data. The system displays a virtual "mouse object" on the screen, separate from the actual cursor. Touching a specific area of the mouse object controls the cursor's movement. The system processes touch events on the mouse object without shifting the input focus to the mouse object itself, allowing the user to interact with other elements on the screen more easily.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said processing comprises injecting mouse events into a mouse event queue of the touch system operating system.
The method of using a virtual mouse object on a touch screen injects mouse events generated from interaction with the mouse object into the operating system's mouse event queue.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein said mouse object includes at least one second area, wherein user interaction within said second area causes a mouse-down event.
The virtual mouse object described previously includes a second area that, when touched, generates a "mouse-down" event, simulating a mouse click.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein said mouse object is moveable across said touch surface in response to pointer interactions with said touch surface.
The virtual mouse object, which controls cursor movement and simulates mouse clicks, can be moved around the touch screen in response to user touch interactions.
15. The method of claim 11 further comprising: automatically positioning said mouse object to a predefined location when said mouse object is at a predefined border.
The virtual mouse object is automatically repositioned to a predefined location when it reaches a predefined border of the touch screen.
16. The method of claim 11 further comprising: saving said pointer coordinate data when said pointer interaction is a predefined type of pointer interaction; automatically positioning said mouse object to a predefined location when said mouse object is at a predefined border; and resuming said saved pointer interaction.
The virtual mouse object saves touch coordinate data for certain types of touch interactions. If the mouse object reaches a border, it automatically repositions and resumes the saved touch interaction, allowing continuous actions across screen boundaries.
17. A method of facilitating user interaction with an image presented on a display surface comprising a plurality of generally rectangular sub-regions arranged in a row extending the longitudinal length of said display surface with adjacent sub- regions partially overlapping, said method comprising: capturing images of the sub-regions of the display surface with sets of camera devices, each set of camera devices being associated with a respective one of said sub-regions and comprising at least one pair of laterally spaced camera devices having overlapping fields of view oriented to look generally across the respective sub-region of said display surface; processing the captured images to detect pointer movement within each sub-region and generating pointer coordinate data for each sub-region in which pointer movement is detected; processing pointer coordinate data generated for adjacent sub-regions that are a result of pointer movement within overlapping portions thereof in accordance with weighted averaging logic to yield a single set of pointer coordinate data representing the pointer movement within the overlapping portions; detecting at least one graphical object in said presented image associated with a running computer program, wherein user interaction with said image is required to dismiss said graphic object in order for the running computer program to advance beyond its current state; applying a dark overlay to said display surface, said overlay having an opening therein determined at least by the position, size and shape of said at least one graphical object; processing pointer coordinate data to detect user interaction with said image signifying the dismissal of said graphical object; and removing said overlay.
A large touch screen displays an image and uses multiple cameras to track touch input. The touch surface is composed of overlapping rectangular regions. The system captures images using laterally spaced cameras, detects pointer movements, and generates coordinate data. In overlapping regions, weighted averaging combines coordinate data. When a modal dialog (or other blocking graphical object) appears, a dark overlay covers the entire screen, except for an opening precisely shaped to expose the dialog. Touch input within this opening is processed to dismiss the dialog, and then the overlay is removed, allowing the blocked program to proceed.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein said at least one displayed graphical object is a modal box.
The method of overlaying a touch screen except for a graphical object, where interaction dismisses that object, specifies that the graphical object is a modal box.
19. The method of claim 17 further comprising: displaying concentric rings about said modal box.
The method of overlaying a touch screen except for a graphical object, where interaction dismisses that object, additionally displays concentric rings around the modal box to highlight it.
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May 2, 2005
July 16, 2013
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